The Lab: “Identifying Modifiable Factors of Psychological Resilience in High Performance Populations- Implications for Intervention”

PURPOSE:

Despite the well-documented benefits of sport, female athletes face persistent stressors, including injury, low energy availability, body-image pressure, sleep disruption, and cumulative stress, that jeopardize both performance and well-being. Resilience, the ability to adapt and thrive under adversity, is essential for athlete health, yet the field still lacks clarity on the modifiable protective factors that reliably support resilience across diverse athletic populations. Without this knowledge, evidence-based interventions remain limited.

METHODS:

This poster will report findings from one of the largest and most comprehensive longitudinal studies of female athlete resilience to date (N≈500). Using a broad, integrative framework, the study examined predictors of resilience across emotion regulation, experiential avoidance, intolerance of uncertainty, sleep, low energy availability, injury history, contextual body image, excessive training/body disregard, PTSD symptoms, perceived stress, and social support.

RESULTS:

Results reveal both barriers that undermine resilience and protective factors that promote it, offering novel insights into how adaptive resilience unfolds over time. The work’s innovation lies in both scale and translation. By identifying leverage points for targeted intervention, it moves the field beyond isolated risk factors to actionable strategies.

DISCUSSIONS:

Early applications show the promise of embedding resilience-informed screening within training environments and integrating intervention tools into athlete systems, creating a blueprint for real-world impact. Our team has spent two decades translating complex science into practical tools—developing DOD-funded military programs, athlete-care systems, and NIH-supported initiatives such as the Female Athlete Body Project. From NCAA coaches’ workshops to resilience-informed screening, we have demonstrated that research and practice can merge to deliver scalable, evidence-based solutions. This work provides a clear path to safeguard mental health and sustain peak performance, setting a new standard for resilience programming in female athletes.

AUTHORS:

Tiffany M. Stewart, Nicole Y. Wesley, Kelsey A. Varzeas, & Felicia Chaisson

KEYWORDS:

Athlete, The Lab, Soldiers, Research, Science, Athletics Research, Female Athletes, Resilience